Indie Pick: 'Johnny Platform Saves Xmas!'

If there was one must-have game when the Xbox Live Indie Games service (then named Community Games) launched, it was Johnny Platform's Biscuit Romp, an old-school platformer sucked straight from the late eighties. Pixel-perfect leaps, chirpy chip-turn music and bopping enemies on the noggin was the order of the day, all wrapped in the sweetest retro aesthetic possible.

This sequel, that sees little Johnny save Christmas, turns up the old-school charm even further: visuals now take up the full width of the screen, and everything looks clearer and more polished. The menu system is also wonderfully chunky and bright, with a text font that looks like it was made of rough slabs of pixel. It's all utterly glorious to behold, and yes, the theme tune from the first game makes a joyous comeback.

Aside from making full use of your widescreen television, what else is new? The little things, mostly: you are still tackling out enemies from above, dodging their projectiles and collecting mugs of coffee on the side. But it drops in new obstacles throughout, such as bombs that can be rolled and detonated with the lick of a flame, platforms constructed of ice and a roll feature that effectively sees you leap vertically.

The 100 levels - around double the original - could have seen a lax approach to how these new ideas are used, but instead it's the opposite. Every stage is tightly designed, often with a red herring that make you think the solution is easier than it appears, and uses the screen-scrolling mechanic to devious effect. It's generally a much harder game, making good use of so many familiar tropes you've seen from platformers over the years, and slots them together in clever ways.

The only downside to the entire thing is the Christmas theme. It doesn't use it nearly enough - aside from a constant snowfall in the background and the occasional appearance of a present, cracker or rolling Christmas pudding - making it feel like a last-minute design decision to grab a few more sales. However, this could do the exact opposite - after all, would you purchase a Christmas game in April, regardless of the excellence underneath its festive veil?

Regardless, it's a game that really captures the spirit of the indie games movement. This would never make the light of day on any other commercial service, because it's perhaps almost too traditional as a platformer, which is exactly what it does best. Its smart design and thrilling aesthetic makes this one of the best platformers on Xbox 360, regardless of its label, and you'd be a fool to miss out. Even if you buy it in April.



Johnny Platform Saves Xmas! is out now on the Xbox Live Indie Games service for 240 Microsoft Points (£2.05). You can download a free trial here.

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